Warner is ducking debates; doesn’t want his positions known

Gilmore said Warner is ducking a statewide televised debate and accused him of demeaning home-schoolers as well as gun-rights and antiabortion activists in a 1994 speech. Gilmore seized on Warner’s decision not to attend a League of Women Voters-sponsore
debate that would have been aired statewide. “He doesn’t want his positions known to the people of Virginia,” Gilmore said at a parade. “He covers up his positions on the issues because if he runs on his positions, he loses. In fact, he is not electable.

Source: 2008 VA Senate debate reported in Washington Post
Sep 2, 2008

Rudy McRomney is not a conservative and knows it

Q [to GILMORE]: On the campaign trail you like to say that “Rudy McRomney” is not a conservative and he knows he’s not a conservative. With them standing here on the stage with you, you would tell us specifically why Mayor Giuliani, Sen. McCain and Gov.
Romney are not conservatives?

GILMORE: Actually I thought it was a pretty good line. It got a lot of attention around the country. Rudy Giuliani has said that he is against federal funding of abortions, but is in favor of federal financing of abortions
But then on the other hand, he said in the last debate he was against the Hyde Amendment. Gov. Huckabee says that he in fact is a tax-cutter and would cut taxes and support these programs. But at the same time, in his own state he was a dramatic
tax-increaser. On health care, Gov. Romney has said in the last debate that this was a privately sanctioned type of program for health care, when in fact, there’s mandatory requirement for participation in that, and that’s certainly government.

GOP dissatisfied because Rudy McRomney isn’t conservative

Q: 77% of the Democrats said they were satisfied with their candidates. But only 52% of Republicans were satisfied with theirs. Why?

A: Well, the public hasn’t been afforded yet an opportunity to look at any candidates except the three high profile
candidates.

Q: You are referring to John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney?

Q: Certainly. And so, if you just look at that, I can understand why the poll would say that type of thing. But the fact is, there are other candidates in the race. And
I think I have a right and obligation to put forward my ideas as a mainstream Reagan conservative.

Q: You caused a stir with a clever line about “Rudy McRomney.” You’re suggesting all three of these front-runners are really not true conservatives.

A:
Well, I think that’s correct. Giuliani doesn’t even claim to be a conservative, really. John McCain’s reputation has been made more as a maverick, not as a conservative. Mitt Romney’s record is what it is. It’s all on videotape.

I keep my word & I am a consistent conservative

Q: What do you think is the most defining quality or characteristic of you and your campaign that separates you from the other candidates?

A: I have a long record of public service. And I keep my word. I am a consistent conservative who carries through on principle, instead of just saying things to get elected.

Source: Live Chat with Jim Gilmore on his campaign blog
Apr 26, 2007

Religious affiliation: Methodist.

Gilmore : religious affiliation:

The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).

What’s an adherent?

The most common definition used in broad compilations of statistical data is somebody who claims to belong to or worship in a religion. This is the self-identification method of determining who is an adherent of what religion, and it is the method used in most national surveys and polls.

Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.

Member, National Governors Association/Economic Development.

Gilmore is a member of the National Governors Association:

The National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation’s governors and one of Washington’s most respected public policy organizations. NGA provides governors with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment. NGA also provides management and technical assistance to both new and incumbent governors.

Since their initial meeting in 1908 to discuss interstate water problems, governors have worked through the National Governors Association to deal with issues of public policy and governance relating to the states. The association’s ongoing mission is to support the work of the
governors by providing a bipartisan forum to help shape and implement national policy and to solve state problems.

Fortune Magazine recently named NGA as one of Washington’s most powerful lobbying organizations due, in large part, to NGA’s ability to lead the debate on issues that impact states. From welfare reform to education, from the historic tobacco settlement to wireless communications tax policies, NGA has influenced major public policy issues while maintaining the strength of our Federalist system of government.

There are three standing committees—on Economic Development and Commerce, Human Resources, and Natural Resources—that provide a venue for governors to examine and develop policy positions on key state and national issues.

[Note: NGA positions represent a majority view of the nation’s governors, but do not necessarily reflect a governor’s individual viewpoint. Governors vote on NGA policy positions but the votes are not made public.]

Member of Republican Governors Association.

Founded in 1963, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) is the official public policy and political organization of the Republican governors and governors-elect of the United States of America

RGA Mission Statement

To assist in the solution of significant national public policy problems.

To enable the Republican governors to take their proper position in expressing the philosophy of the Republican Party within the national party framework.

To assist in the election of Republican gubernatorial candidates and the reelection of incumbent governors.

To provide a mechanism to facilitate communications and cooperation among its members; with local, state and national Party organizations; with Republicans in the US Congress; and with Republicans in the Executive branch of government during a Republican administration.

The RGA also will work closely with local officials, including state legislators, mayors, county executives and other
municipal and county leaders to assist in a free exchange of ideas. As it looks ahead, the RGA is preparing for the 2001- 2002 election cycle in which 38 gubernatorial seats, with 25 seats currently held by Republicans, will be at stake. The cycle begins this year with two highly competitive races, in New Jersey and Virginia. For this and the 36 races in 2002, the RGA will create strong recruiting and fundraising programs to provide maximum political assistance to all Republican candidates.

The RGA will enhance the visibility of the Association as a unified policy-making and political force with the national media, business community and government through a coordinated communications strategy. By building more awareness of the policies of the Republican governors, the political and policy objectives of the Association as a whole can be achieved. Currently, there are 29 Republican governors representing roughly 60 percent of the American people.

Member of Southern Governors' Association.

Gilmore is a member of the Southern Governors' Association:

The Southern Governors’ Association first met in 1934 to discuss the repeal of discriminatory rates for transporting goods by rail, [and since then SGA] has represented the common interests of southern states’ chief executives and provided a vehicle for promoting them. The ongoing mission of SGA is to support the work of the governors by providing a bipartisan, regional forum to help shape and implement national policy and to solve state and regional problems.

Objectives:

Identify Vital Issue Interests of Southern States. Through SGA, governors identify federal issues of regional concern. SGA then closely follows these issues, analyzes their regional impact and communicates information back to the governors’ offices through reports and meetings. On select federal issues, governors and their staffs formulate regional policy and make recommendations.

Advocate Regional Interests in Washington. Through SGA, governors advance their mutual interests
in Washington and speak with a unified voice on issues important to the region. Through resolutions, joint letters, Congressional testimony, meetings, and other vehicles, SGA communicates the region’s concerns to Congress, the Administration and federal agencies.

Enhance Regional Cooperation. SGA serves as a forum to expedite cooperation among the southern states in solving regional problems. State initiatives reduce dependence on the federal government, maximize state resources, benefit the individual states, enhance interstate relations and place the South in the forefront of regional cooperation and innovation.

Promote Innovative Southern Programs and Practices. SGA provides comparative policy information to its members on pressing issues. Through report and other mechanisms, SGA facilitates the exchange of information on individual state responses to pressing regional concerns or federal government actions.